Drama on Wizz Air flight from Rome: flight cancelled after a passenger refused to take off

A Wizz Air flight from Rome to Israel was cancelled moments before takeoff after a passenger unexpectedly asked to disembark, raising security concerns. Israeli security forces were called to inspect the aircraft on the ground.

The incident occurred on Friday immediately after the boarding phase was completed. It appears the passenger requested to leave the aircraft out of fear of desecrating the Sabbath. The captain subsequently cancelled the flight, and approximately 300 Israeli passengers were evacuated back to the terminal for re-screening.

"The flight attendant announced that boarding was finished, and the guy decided he wanted to get off," said M., a passenger on the flight. "He didn't explain himself, didn't give a reason, and didn't communicate in English or Italian. He didn't even apologize. The whole plane was on its feet, and his conduct was really, really strange."

Passengers described an atmosphere of tension and fear while waiting for security forces to arrive.

"He didn't care that a whole plane was standing there. Israelis were in a panic, angry, and frightened," M. added. "We were all returning from vacations, there were many children on board, and mostly a lot of panic. He just had this blank stare; he didn't care what was happening."

Due to the passengers' concerns, the flight crew decided not to take any risks and called the police. The individual was detained and transferred for questioning. All passengers and the aircraft are currently undergoing re-screening. Once these checks are complete, Wizz Air will organize a new flight.

Wizz Air stated that the flight from Rome to Tel Aviv was delayed due to an additional security check. Passengers were asked to disembark so the procedure could be carried out, and the flight will depart as soon as it is finished. The company emphasized that the safety of passengers and crew remains its top priority.